I am again posting the quotes from the book by name: - INDIRA — THE LIFE OF INDIARA NEHRU GANDHI written by KATHERINE FRANK published by HarperCollins Publishers first published in Great Britain in 2001 printed and bound at Thomson Press (India) Ltd.

The following is written on page number176, 177:-

26 March dawned a sunny , cloudless morning. The wedding began early, before it became too hot. At 9 a.m. the bride came down from her room dressed, significantly, in Khadi- a hand woven from thread spun by Nehru in prison into a sari that was tinted pink and edged with delicate silver embroidery. She wore a garland of fresh flowers and translucent, colored bangles, rather than traditional, heavy gold jewelry on her wrists. Indira had never looked so beautiful, nor, in a very long time so well~ tall slender, her complexion no longer sallow but “ the golden color of ripe wheat, her fine features like the profile on a Greek coin. Feroz was dressed in the traditional white Congress Khadi Sherwani and Churidar and he too wore a garland of flowers.

The ceremony was held outdoors under a canopy on the ground floor Anand Bhavan veranda which had been decorated with greenery. Indira, Nehru and Feroz sat around the traditional fire built on a slab of marble. An empty cushion next to Nehru marked Kamla’s absence. The invited guest sat on carpet or chairs around the veranda and beyond them, stretching out over the Anand Bhavan grounds hundreds of uninvited spectators stood in the morning sun. In the midst of the crowd was a photographer from an American magazine Norvin Hein, another American who was young teacher at Ewing Christian College, struggled to film the wedding with his 8 mm movie camera.

The ceremony uniting Indira and Feroz was neither conventional not legal. Under the British imperial Law in India, people of different faith could not be married unless they renounced their own religion. Though Indira never been a practicing HINDU nor Feroz an observant Parsi, they were both reluctant to sign a declaration stating that they did not belong to any religion. Seven years earlier Indira’s cousin, B.K. Nehru has faced the same dilemma when he married his wife Fori who was a Hungarian Jew. As usual at the time of B.K. Nehru’s marriage, Mahatma Gandhi was consulted and his advice taken. B.K.Nehru and his wife were married according to Hindu rites in a ceremony performed by Professor Kalla of Delhi university who device a sequence of rituals which. According to him , were the original Vedic rites of marriage. Though Hindu law precipitated a Hindu marrying a non Hindu, Hindu rites did not require confession of faith and this meant that a non Hindu could go through a Hindu ceremony. But such a marriage was not recognized by either British or Hindu law. Hence the illegality of both B.K.Nehru’s and Indira’s marriages.

Like B.K.Nehru’s wedding, Indira and Feroze’s rites were performed by Professor Kalla and followed the earlier ceremony exactly except for a Sanskrit verse which Indira chose to recite because of it’s political resonance in 1942. If there are any people in the four quarters of the earth who venture to deprive us of our freedom mark! Here U an, sword in hand prepared to resist them to the last. I pray for the spreading light of freedom may it envelope us on all sides. The ceremony took two hours = short and simple standards. Throughout the aroma of incense filled the air , a priest chanted the fire sizzled as clarified butter was poured into it from a silver spoon.

…….

As per this book as per the British or Hindu rules of that time it seems and has been categorized to say it was illegal. If this book is unbiased and is truth then what was the religion of the siblings of Indiraji and Firozeji?

If any one can read this book and entirely and conclude then only the religion of next generation of Indiraji’s religion can be established.

I do not know the validity of this book, but if this is truth it is upon historians to tell the religion of Indiraji’s siblings.

My dining table is having a photo frame of Indiraji saying: How any one can be Indian, but not be proud. I am a die hard Congressman. But it hurts me that the religion of the ones who have died for the country is held up and when our constitution allows all to practice the religion of their choice, then why there are so huge uproars and so much political mileage being given.

Indiraji and all her siblings are INDIANS and died as Indians, No way religion should be forced upon and made be an issue by any party and take a political advantage of such brave family. I am ashamed of being called Indian if religion is the issue for our elections. I am sorry but all those who are more focused on religion must take a note that this family has done more than any family to India and all Indians woe a great respect for this family. First feel the pain of brutal murders, and then force this family into the battle of religion. I am sorry…. i cry what if Indiraji would have been today to see this nonsense going on.